xvi, 765 pages : 25 cm

For half a century, the American Mafia outwitted, outmaneuvered, and outgunned the FBI and other police agencies, wreaking unparalleled damages to America's social fabric and business enterprises while emerging as the nation's most formidable crime empire. The vanguard of this criminal juggernaut is still led by the Mafia's most potent and largest borgatas: New York's Five Families. Five Families is the vivid story of the rise and fall of New York's premier dons from Lucky Luciano to Paul Castellano to John Gotti and more. This definitive history brings the reader right up to the possible resurgence of the Mafia as the FBI and local law-enforcement agencies turn their attention to homeland security and away from organized crime

Includes bibliographical references (pages 742-745) and index

A Fiery Saint -- Tumac's Tale -- Roots -- The Castellammarese War -- Dirty Thirties -- Runaway Jury -- Unlucky Lucky -- Prime Minister -- Murder Inc. -- A Profitable War -- Serene Times -- "Wake Up, America!" -- Heroin and Apalachin -- Death of a President -- "The Ring of Truth" -- A Splendid Band: The Mob -- The Birth of RICO -- Unity Day -- Ubazze and Lila -- The FBI Wises Up -- The Big Boys -- Operation Jaguar -- Planting Season -- "This Is It!" -- The Curtain Rises -- The Concrete Club -- "Far from Finished" -- Turning Point -- Snake Charmer -- Carmine's War -- Dynasty -- A Hell of a Legacy -- Quack-Quack -- "Shame on Them" -- "He's Like Robin Hood" -- Mrs. Cirelli's Holiday -- "I Want to Switch Governments" -- Bitter Aftermath -- Self-Worship -- Gaspipe -- Blood Purge -- The Professor and Fat -- Tumac's -- 455 Years in Prison -- "Team America" -- The Pajama Game -- Psychological Warfare -- The Real Boss -- Chin's Millions -- "I Know Where Bodies Are Buried" -- Brought to Bay -- Last Hurrah -- Nothing Magical: Forensic Accounting -- "You Did a Good Job, Louie" -- "Good-Looking Sal" -- The Mob's Horatio Alger -- The Genial Godfather aka "The Ear" -- Mafia Groupies -- Divided and Conquer -- The Domino Syndrome -- Afterword: Back to the Caves -- Appendix A: Family Trees -- Appendix B: Mafia Boss Succession -- Principal Sources and References

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